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00:00:09.119To make change happen quickly at work and for that change to be successful, it is nearly always about how well you manage the people involved.
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00:00:15.279Yes, having a clear plan, good risk management, and lots of communication is going to help massively.
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00:00:24.960You can do all the organizational things well and still fail badly at creating quick and successful change if you get the people part wrong.
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00:00:26.960People expect change.
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00:00:29.600Change in itself is not the problem.
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00:00:33.200Sudden or unexpected change creates problems.
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00:00:40.159Giving people time and space to adapt to proposed changes will make that change easier and more successful.
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00:00:44.320People's reactions to change are nearly always emotional.
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00:00:47.280They are usually irrational, not logical.
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00:00:56.799Become good at helping people through their emotional reactions to change, and you'll be able to deliver change a lot quicker and a lot more successfully.
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00:01:00.320I've worked in many top companies leading teams through change.
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00:01:10.319Navigating the politics, vested interests, and emotional fears of those affected by change were more important to success than the organizational aspects.
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00:01:16.480In one year, my team of 25-ish staff delivered 54 change projects successfully.
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00:01:22.319Some of these changes only impacted the team, through to some impacting the whole business.
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00:01:29.200Winning over the people involved was key to making change happen quickly at work and much more successfully.
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00:01:42.799Once you have at least a rough idea of the outcomes you want and the process by which you want to create change at work, I suggest you firstly understand the fears that prevent change and specifically address them.
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00:01:50.799This is a step you should take early on and come back to several times through the process of implementing change.
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00:01:59.280People resist change because what is proposed may damage or replace something they are happy with or get value from.
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00:02:10.879Firstly, changes to their way of working that gets acceptable results now and they do well leaves them worse off.
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00:02:26.240Secondly, a reduction in status, social or professional, such as losing a task that gives them exposure to or contact with senior managers.
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00:02:30.479Third, the fear of looking silly or less competent than before.
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00:02:35.520Learning new things takes time and effort and you start at not being very good.
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00:02:41.199Fourth, giving up something that they like doing, say if it is being replaced by automation.
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00:02:44.800Resistance is nearly always to do with fear.
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00:02:47.680Fear they'll be worse off personally.
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00:02:52.319You can help the other person work through their fears by listening to them.
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00:02:55.439Listen to make the person feel heard.
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00:02:59.199Listen to make them feel they are valuable and matter.
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00:03:01.199Ask them what they are scared of.
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00:03:06.719Keep asking questions and listening until you understand their views, fears, and position.
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00:03:10.159Summarize their position to demonstrate your understanding.
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00:03:14.960Usually listening is enough to help them feel considered and valued.
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00:03:18.000If you can address their fears, do so.
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00:03:24.319If it makes sense, adding small changes to your plan of action is a great way of demonstrating you value them.
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00:03:34.400The process I usually go through to get feedback and understand the fears people have is to firstly I speak to those I trust or have good relationships with.
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00:03:38.800I outline the plans and ask for feedback to understand concerns and fears.
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00:03:44.080Choose people that are more open to change and will give you honest feedback.
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00:03:51.360Secondly, I then go to make any changes that are sensible to reduce fear barriers or opposition to the plans I have.
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00:03:55.360Third, then I go through the same process with my boss.
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00:04:05.360Fourth, I broaden this process to the key influencers of the group affected by the changes, again focusing on those more likely to have positive reactions first.
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00:04:10.400Fifth, then I broaden the process to my boss's peers, leadership team members, etc.
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00:04:15.360The key stakeholders that might sign off or influence sign off for change.
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00:04:21.759Build support with the most positive individuals first or those you have the best relationships with.
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00:04:30.000Flex your approach to the situation you face and the people or personalities that you need support from for the change to happen.
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00:04:45.439This process helps you understand the objections and fears of the changes that you have in mind and gives you a great opportunity to adapt your plans to mitigate objections or adapt how you communicate your plans to mitigate fears or to do both.
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00:04:50.959Spend a lot of time listening and much less time selling the change.
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00:04:56.480In parallel to this process, you should also focus on developing the business case for change.
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00:05:00.879You need this to get permission for change, which is what we'll cover next.
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00:05:14.240My name is Jess Coles, and if you're new to this podcast, Enhanced.training provides resources, courses, and coaching for you to build management expertise and confidence to lead any team to their best performance.
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00:05:34.079An option for you or managers in your team to improve how quickly and successfully you deliver change or implement significant projects, go to enhance.training and select coaching for one-on-one programs to help you implement projects and change quicker and with measurably better results.
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00:05:39.279So, next, getting permission to make change happen.
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00:05:47.759If you don't convince your bosses that this change will leave them and the company better off, you won't make the change happen.
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00:05:51.040The change has to make sense for the business.
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00:06:00.560Frame the change you want in terms of firstly how much it reduces costs or increases revenues or increases profits.
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00:06:04.240Secondly, how the changes reduce risk.
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00:06:10.319Third, how it speeds up work, reduces barriers or improves efficiency and accuracy.
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00:06:17.360Fourth, what the changes improve in terms of visibility, increased ownership and increased performance.
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00:06:22.800Fifth, the benefits customers or even suppliers might get from the changes.
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00:06:27.199Sixth, how it takes away boring, repetitive tasks from staff.
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00:06:32.639Or any other benefits leadership and or staff might desire or need.
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00:06:42.720To get permission, you need to convince bosses that those implementing the change are capable of doing so quickly and with minimal disruption to the business operations.
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00:06:48.160Alternatively convince them the benefits far outweigh the risks.
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00:06:57.199Incorporate into your planning anything sensible you can do to reduce the downsides, which makes giving permission a lot easier for your bosses.
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00:07:06.240Bring all the work you have done listening to staff and to bosses into your business case in terms of how you'll address the fears and concerns of others.
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00:07:20.560Simply, the stronger your business case, the more realistic all your assumptions are, and the more you have addressed risks and concerns, including staff fears, the more likely your bosses will give you permission to undertake the change.
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00:07:26.560Even more importantly, they are much more likely to actively support the change.
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00:07:33.759Active and visible support from bosses is worth a lot more to successful implementation than just getting permission.
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00:07:42.959When planning to implement change, focus on getting supporters rather than trying to persuade everyone that this change is good for them.
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00:07:49.680Identify and encourage early adopters to change, not everyone to change at the start.
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00:08:07.199Use this human group dynamic to your advantage.
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00:08:13.120You are more likely to get successful change faster and with less effort and time put in.
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00:08:22.560I typically break all the people I need to convince into groups, being firstly the leaders and managers or those who support and sign off the change I need.
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00:08:29.920Secondly, stakeholders, those impacted by the changes, or whose help you need to implement the change.
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00:08:32.240And thirdly, everyone else.
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00:08:43.039With each group, firstly identify and speak to those who you have the strongest relationships with or who owe you the most favours.
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00:08:52.879And then also consider those who are most open to change, who are least fearful of change, or who have the least to lose from the change.
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00:08:54.799Approach these people first.
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00:08:58.960Second, listen, understand and adapt to their fears.
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00:09:03.039Sell the benefits to them and the certainty of implementation.
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00:09:09.440Change your plans or communication style to get them excited about what the future will mean for them and their world.
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00:09:13.360Reduce the risks they perceive that the change may create.
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00:09:20.639Third, then speak to others in the group and ask the leaders and influencers to speak to everyone else in the group too.
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00:09:28.799With the leaders and influencers on side, you're well over halfway to getting everyone on side to support and accept the change.
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00:09:39.120So, in summary, the challenge of creating change at work is with the people and specifically overcoming their fears that the change will leave them worse off personally.
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00:09:43.600Spend time listening to those affected by your proposed change.
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00:09:53.519When they feel heard and understood, they'll be a lot happier and accept change more readily, even if you do not make any alterations to the proposed changes.
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00:10:06.639Before, during, and after any change project at work, big or small, make the time to listen a lot and communicate a lot to the people affected by the change and bosses who will need the change to be successful.
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00:10:15.919Successful change is as much about successfully hearing, considering and addressing fears as it is about selling the rational benefits of change.
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00:10:22.080Work harder at managing the people aspects of change compared to the organizational aspects of change.
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00:10:42.320As a reminder, an option for you or for managers in your team to improve how quickly and successfully you deliver change or implement significant projects, go to enhance.training and select coaching for one-on-one programs to help you implement projects and change quicker and with measurably better results.
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00:10:51.360If you have any questions on how to make change happen quickly, at work, and much more successfully, please email me at support at enhance.
